Adjustable lamp shade



Oct. 21, 1958 I. L. FULLER 2,857,509

ADJUSTABLE LAMP SHADE Filed Jan. 18, 1956 United States Patent 2,857,509 ADJUSTABLE LAMP SHADE Ira L. Fuller, Tampa, Fla.

Application January 18, 1956, Serial No. 559,805 7 4 Claims. (Cl. 240108) This invention relates to a construction for variably distributing light from a lamp bulb generally mounted in a relatively stationary lamp fixture wherein the light is to be distributed downwardly and outwardly. The device is incorporated in a lamp shade which may be adjustably positioned vertically simply by sliding the shade upwardly and downwardly relative to the lamp bulb.

As indicated, a primary purpose of the invention is to control the radiation of light from a bulb, and to do so within the limitations of an approximately circular spot of relatively small diameter immediately below the lamp bulb, and to vary that diameter up to a much greater diameter such as would be employed for reading purposes and for overall room illumination. 1

A further important object of the invention is to provide a structure of a nature indicated which will be exceedingly simple in operation, in fact merely shiftable by pushing or pulling the shade upwardly or downwardly in relation to the lamp bulb, and further wherein the structure may be made at an exceedingly low cost of production.

The device may be attached to any usual lamp fixture having an upturned lamp bulb socket, without altering the fixture in any respect.

These and many other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the following description of one particular form of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a fragmentary top plan view in partial section of one form of the invention as now best known to me; and

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation and partial section.

In the form of the invention as illustrated, the shade member 39 is made integral with the member 40 which, as above indicated, consists of an inverted cylindrical shell having a closed upper end 55. In this form, there is a harp generally designated by the numeral 56 supported by the collar 19 engaged around the socket 15. The harp 56 carries three upturned wires 57 spaced substantially 120 degrees apart, and spread one from the other in their upturneddirections to receive the lamp 17 therehetween as it extends from the socket 15.

Each of these wires 57 is identical in shape, andcarries a short vertically disposed length 58 offset through the bends 59 and 60 from the main part of the wire, as indicated in Fig. 2, the oflset being radially outwardly from the wire proper. The oifset length 58 terminates in an upper portion which turns radially inwardly through a bend 61,51nd then bends around back toward length 58 and finally turns away from the length 58 to leave the bend 62. These wires 57 normally spring inwardly toward the lamp 17, and are maintained in a spread apart condition by means of a wire ring 63 which snaps into the bend 62 as means for retaining the ring 63 in position, the axis of the ring 63 coinciding with the vertical axis of the lamp 17.

The member 40 is provided with three vertically disposed ribs 64 spaced substantially 120 degrees apart cirmg a groove extending along its innerside opening within the member 40. The groove in each instance is designated by the numeral 65.

The interior diameter of member 40 is made to be such that it may be placed downwardly over the wires 57 with the straight lengths 58 entered in the respective grooves 65. The grooves are so formed in respect to their radial distance from the axis of the member 40 that the straight wire lengths 58 will frictionally engage within those grooves so that the member 40 will be supported through that frictional engagement at various elevations of the members 58 therealong. For example, the shade 39 and the cup member 40, secured thereto or an integral part thereof, may be shifted vertically from thesolid line position to the upper dash line position as indicated in Fig. 2. In so doing the spread of the radiation of light from the lamp 17 will be varied accordingly. In order to prevent accidental displacement of the member 40 from the frictional engagement with the wire lengths 58, there is provided a pin 66 at the lower end of each of the grooves 65 extending transversely thereacross, to be in the path of the offset length 67 of the wire 57 in each instance. These pins 66 are of course inserted across the grooves after the member 40 has been carried down over the lengths 58. As before indicated, the members 39 and 40 may be made out of any suitable material desired, a synthetic resin plastic being very usable. The colors of course may be varied and the plastic may be made in opaque material, translucent material, or even transparent, although the transparency is generally undesirable since it is the object of the invention to control the radial degree of illumination variably as maybe desired.

While I have herein shown and described my invention in the one particular form in minute detail it is obvious that structural changes may be employed without departing from thespirit of the invention, and I, therefore, do not desire to be limited to that precise form beyond the limitations which may be imposed by the following claims.

I claim:

1. The combination with a lamp base; a lamp carried by and extending from said base; a harp fixed to said base and having a plurality of wire members extending therefrom along and spaced from said lamp terminating by free ends laterally removed from the lamp and circumferentially spaced apart therearound; a lamp shade having an opening through which said members extend; a tubular member of substantially a common diameter throughout its length supporting and extending axially from said shade from about the margin of said shade opening and receiving all of said wire member free ends therewithin; said wire members being in sliding, compressive contact with the inside face of the tubular memher; said tubular member and said shade being shiftable as a unit along said wire members toward and away from said base.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which there is a closure across said tubular member end removed from said shade opening, said closure directing light from said lamp longitudinally of said tubular member past said base and through said shade.

3. The structure of claim 1 in which said tubular member has a groove each respectively receiving one of said Patented Oct. 21, 1958 3 tween and engaging said terminal portions seating said 2,121,575 wire members in said grooves and urging them into said 2,339,498 compressive contact with the tubular member. 2,714,154 2,714,155

, References'Gitejdin the file of thispatent 1 5 UNITED 'STATES' PATENTS 853 794 5, 7 oop May 18, 19 64405 4 Shoemaker 'June 21, 1938 M'arkowitz Jan. 18, 1944 Johnson July 26,1955 Johnson July 26, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS I France Dec. 16, 1939 France Apr. 26, 1941 

